Side frame and structural member



Feb. 19, 1929,

G. F. COUCH SIDE FRAME AND STRUCTURAL MEMBER I Filed Jan. 19, 1937 M w 3K M IMP Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

emmrncouon, or nocnnsrna, Raw YORK. sum mummmn smauc'rum nmrnm Application filed January 19, 1922. semi No. 162,188.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

This invention relates to structural mem bers of special cross section and, more part1cularly, to side frames for railwa car trucks, certain members of which are so esigned.

5 The principal object of iny invention, generally considered, is the provision of structural members of special cross section where- "by they are adapted to be cast or otherwise formed with a minimum amount of internal stress, such members being so designed that they are particularly adapted 'to form parts of side frames for railway car trucks.

An object of my inventiontislthe provision, of a side frame in which the compression member'and portions of the tension member areof a special U section involving the flanges of the U being joined to the web thereof by portions generally straight or only slightly curved so that the strength of the section is increased and cooling stra ns are minimized.

Another object of my invention is, the provision of a side frame in which certain members thereof are formed of special configuration involvimf a curved outer surface and substantially flat inner surfaces thereby economizing material and minimizing the forma-v tion of cracks and other imperfections in the metal. p

A further object of my invention is the provision of a side frame in which certain portions of the membersthereof are of a special shape which is almost semi-octangular in that the flanges thereof are joined to a web by portions extending at 1 approximately forty-five degrees to said flan es and web.

A still further ob ect of my invention is the formation of certain structural parts of a side frame or other truss of special U section involvinga web which decreases in thickness 40 from'the center toward the edges thereof and flanges which have generally greater overall transverse dimensions ad] acent the free ed es thereof. l

gther objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement; and combination of the variou's parts will be.-

come apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined'by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a half side elevation of a side frame for railwaycar trucks embodying the principles of my invention.

my invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 66 3, there is shown a portion of a side frame 1 formed with a compression member 2,11. tension member 3 and bolster guide columns 4, only one of which is shown, s acing intermediate portions of said mem ers, leaving a 70. window openlng 5 therebetween. The compression member 2 is connected to the tension member 3 at points near the end of the frame and said members are also connected to integral journal boxes 6 in the present embodi- 76 ment although I do not wish'to be limitedto such construction as, instead of integral journal boxes, jaw-shaped portions may be. prpvided for connecting with separable journal boxes. y A 80 In the resent embodiment, the compression mem er 2 is of special U-shape in cross section with an'upper web 7 anddepending side flan es 8, said flanges 8 being joined to the web by inclined rtions 9 glving the section somewhat the s ape of half an octagon except that the inclined portions 9 need not be as long as the web 7 in order to provide a section equivalent to half an equilateral octagon. The free edges of the flanges 8 are preferably flared downwardly and outwardly to provide beading as indicated at 10, said beading preferably extending at forty-five degrees to the flanges 8 or parallel to the inclined portions 9. The tension member 3, and particularly the diagonal end portions 11 thereof, may be of a shape corresponding to thatshown in Figure 2 except thatthe section is inverted, Those portions' ofv the tension member,however, be-

tween the bolster guide columns 4, may be of normal box shape in section, as shown in-Figure 3, except that thejunction between the lower web 12 and side webs 13 thereof may correspond to that between the flanges 8 and the web 7, as indicatedat 14 and the junction between the side webs 13 and the upper web 15 may involve a flaring portion as indicated at 16.

The bolster guide columns 4 may correspond in cross section with Figure 2 except that the web 17 preferably joins with the side flanges 18 at ninety degree in accordance with usual practice rather than being formed with a supplemental portion at forty-five degrees therebetween.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 4, a section is there disclosed very much like the section illustrated in Figure 2 except that the outer surface of the web 7 is convex or cylindrical rather than flat and the diagonal connecting portions 9 'between the flanges 8 and the web 7 involve filleted or curved portions 19 of greater radii than those of the first embodiment given an easier transition between the diagonal portions 9 and the adj acentweb and flan es.

T e free edges of the flanges 8 may be provided with beading 19 corresponding substantially to the beading of the first embodiment, except for filleted portions 20 between the outer surfaces of the flanges 8 and said beading, thereby involving an effective thickening of the free edges of said flanges and the avoidance of a relatively sharp angle between said flanges and beading. Although only the section of the compression member is illustrated for this embodiment, it will be obvious that the tension member and the bolster guide columns may be of corresponding section modified as indicated in connection with the first embodiment.

Referring now to the modification of my invention illustrated in Figure 5, a special U section for the compression member is there disclosed involving an upper web 7 and depending side flanges 8", the lower ends of said flanges being flared outwardly or increased in width to'form b'eading 10". The inner surfaces of the web and flanges are substantially flat as shown except for the junctions therebetween which involve filleted portions 9* of relatively large radii approximatin theinclined connecting portions 9 of the em odiment illustrated in Figure 4. The outer surfaces of the web and flanges, however, are curved, that of the web 7 being convex to cause an increased thickness atthe center thereof and that of the flanges 8 being concave, for the major portion thereof, to provide an increased thickness at the free edges thereof and form the beading or ribs Although only the compression member isillustrated in section for this modification yet it' is obvious that the tension member and bolster guide columns may have a corre sponding section modified to correspond with the function of said members as described in connection with the first embodiment, that structural members of any desired"character which, not only results in greater strength for a given weight of metal, but obviates the formation of imperfections upon cooling of the metal after the same has been cast.

' Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A cast side frame comprising a member generally U-shaped in cross section, the web and flanges of said U being joined by inclined portions whereby the section thereof substantially corresponds with a portion of an 00- tagon.

2. A cast side frame comprising a member thereof generally U-shaped in cross section and involving a web and generally Z-shaped flanges extending therefrom.

3. .A side frame comprising a member substantially U-shaped in cross section, the web of said U being flat on its interior surface and cylindrical on its exteriorsurface.

4. A side frame comprising a member substantially U-shaped in cross section, the interior surfaces of the web and flanges of which are substantially flat and the exterior surfaces of which are curved.

5. A side frame comprising a member generally U-shaped in cross section, the web of which is relatively thick adjacent the longi tudinal center line thereof and decreases in thickness toward the junctions with the flan es thereof, said flanges increasing in thic ess toward their free edges.

' i 6. A structural member generally U-shaped in cross section with the junctions between the web and flanges thereof being inclined to approximate a portion of an octagon and the free ends of the flanges flared diagonally.

7. A structural member substantially U- shaped in cross section, the web of said U ,being flat on its interior surface and cylindrical in its exterior surface.

8. A structural member substantially U- shaped' in cross section, the interior surfaces of which are substantially fiat and the exterior surfaces of which are curved.

9. 'A structural member generally U-shaped in cross section, the web of which is relatively thick adjacent the longitudinal center line thereof and gradually decreases in thickness toward the junctions with the flanges thereof,

said flanges increasing in thickness toward their free edges.

10. A structural member enerally U- shaped in cross section, the we of whlch is relatively thick adjacent the longitudinal center line thereof and decreases in thickness toward the junctions with the flanges thereof, said flanges having diagonally disposed portions joining said web.

11. A structural member generally U- shaped in cross section, the flanges of which increase in thickness toward their free ediess, and the free ends of which are angularly posed with respect to intermediate portions thereof.

12. A structural member generally U- shaped in cross section and comprising a web and flanges extending therefrom, said flanges being generally Z-shaped in cross section with the upper and lower portions of the Z disposed at substantially forty-five degrees with respect to the intermediate portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GLENN r. COUCH. 

